Porsche 911

Last night I attended my local Porsche dealer's presentation of the new 997's. The dealer invited the local PCA club as well as other potential buyers.While I am impressed with the new models(Carerra and Carrera S) I am concerned that there is NO spare tire. There is only a pump and can of "flat fixer". The sales pitch is that a survey of owners in LA yielded only 4% that had used their spares. The tires are NOT run flats meaning that most likely you will have to be flatbeded in for replacement. If you happen to be in a deserted area with no cell phone serice this could be a major issue. Anyone else concerned?

Comments

I wouldn't be. My Porsche has one of those silly mini-spares that is stored deflated---and they give you a little pump for it---isn't that nice?

The scenario you mention is very unlikely. Look at it in terms of risk management.

If indeed 4% of all 997 drivers will need a spare someday, how many of those will find the fix-it aerosol successful? Probably 95% will find that the hole in their tire is small enough to respond to the gummy stuff.

So that leave 5% of the original 4%. Of THAT number, how many will find themselves on a road with no cell phone service and no one passing by to help them? Probably 1% of that 5% of the 4% of all 997 drivers.

Given the likely sales of 997s, you'd have to be pretty unlucky to get stranded by this system. Surely there are more plausible risks that can be addressed. Yes you could hit a deer or have your car catch fire, etc. etc., but few people worry about this, and the possibility of having a grevious tire failure that can't be pumped up and this happening on an isolated road are even more remote than deer collisions and engine fires I think.

Your 997 has to be flatbedded for just about ANY problem that stops the car, so that's not unusual.

I'm sorry but If you really use the car for touring it is unacceptable not to have a spare. If I am in a remote are between Palm Springs and Las Vegas(or up North on CA1) the cell doesn't work I would not want to depend on "someone passing by".In a recent "Automobile" article reviewing the 997 they had the same problem. They had a flat on their trip through Europe and were delayed while they waited for roadside assistance. It went something like "I opened the trunk and had a sinking feeling when I saw that there was no spare". There are too mant competitors in the market to stretch practicallity to this extent for the "Porsche experience". Corvette and BMW have run flats as well as Lexus and I believe Aston Martin.

High speed touring in a powerful sports coupe has all kinds of risks associated with it, the least of which is a flat tire I think. You know, it happens, deal with it. You can't expect a car company to cover all your bases in every contigency. All vehicles make design compromises of one sort or another. Run flats is also a compromise that is no less distasteful than no spare, either in terms of ride or expense. Ask a Lexus SC430 owner, who is the very antithesis of a Porsche owner anyway.

I currently have a Jag XKR which has a standard spare. Since I have a couple of older Porsches I was thinking of a new 997 to replace the Jag next year. Since I do take the car on extended trips I really want a spare. I am now going to check out the SL500. Although I haven't driven a car with run flats I find it hard to believe that the Corvette and 645i BMW give up much in handling/ride .

Believe it.. runflats suck! I'm surprised that Porsche (and Lexus, BMW, etc) don't offer the option of the little doughnut tire.. There is plenty of room for it, in almost any car.. Just for emergency purposes..

Not having a spare won't keep me from buying a car, but until runflats get a lot better, I'll avoid any car that has them (which is getting harder to do).

There should be a doughnut, at the minimum. Other premier sports cars have managed this accomplishment (Porsche 911 included) for many decades without adversely affecting handling or performance. As for the argument that sports cars come with risk, well, that may be the case if we were talking about a stripped Lotus Elise here. But we're not, we're talking about the 911 which is as chock full of features and luxury amenities as many a top-tier sports car today. This makes the omission more notable.

I'd have to look the car over to say anything more about it, but it could be that a doughnut is actually impossible with the current design. In other words, the spare tire was consciously designed out from the get-go. Maybe you could lie it flat in there and lock it with a center bolt but ....goodbye trunk space.

It's kind of a non-issue for me. I haven't had a flat tire in ten years. (uh-oh, I shouldn't have said that...damn!)

The 928 solution with the inflatable mini tire and air compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter was a decent solution---but they still had to make a well in the trunk floor, and also one for the battery, which means they had to move the exhaust system around, which means they had to put a big butt on the car.

The issue of no spare in itself is an interesting topic. I took delivery of my 997 on September 14 and thought about no spare for about a split second. However, I live in Florida and don't have the blind spots for cell coverage as some of you do in the desert. The car's performance and overall package significantly outweighed the lack of a spare (although, I admit, I wish there was one). I measured this again a 645 and an SL500 and chose the 997. I have been driving German now for 10 years and this is my first Porsche....and it will not be my last. I love it. I recommend getting your hands on one if you can.

A reporter is wondering if anyone has had trouble getting parts for cars and trucks from the 1985-1997 model year. If you have a story to share, please send it to jfallon@edmunds.com by Friday, November 19, 2004.

Is it just me or does anyone else think the C4S is a better looking car than the new 997 - especially in Cabriolet form. I drove the new Carrera S and was impressed but to me it doesn't looks like a $90,000 plus car.

I have one and I love it, Ever since i was a kid I had a deam of owning one. I finaly took out a lease on a 2003 C4S. I couldnt be more happy. I was a little let down at the quality plastics used but then again thought about what a porsche is. Running this baby out to the redline is a pleasure everytime. And the sound that it gives off from ever gear. Whats not to love. Some may complain about the rough ride. But thats what a sports car is folks, rough ride and increadible cornering ability. It seems like every time I go to fill it up some one always coments "thats a lovly car there sir" its great to have the Turbo body as I was not a fan of the regular body. Love the Hips on the C4S... And well I love German cars... maybe its my german blood

You carry in the storage area a large plastic garbage bag. You take the big tire and put it in then leave your wife where ever you are and put the tire in the passengers seat. When it comes to a Porsche, life has it's priorities.